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Sudan and Iran defy West pressure

The confrontational tones come as Iran and Sudan face mounting international pressure.

01 Mar 2007 19:17 GMT

Ahmadinejad (L) talks to reporters during a joint press conference with al-Bashir [AFP]

"We condemn the enemy's schemes against the Sudanese people and government," Ahmadinejad said.

"We will stand by the side of the Sudanese government and people."

It was not clear what schemes he was referring to, but the Iranian leader tends to use the word "enemy" for the United States, which he accuses of manipulating the UN Security Council and other world bodies.

Earlier on Thursday, Ahmadinejad also blamed the United States and Israel for the world's problems and reiterated his opposition to the West in a lecture titled "Iran and the world" at an institute in Khartoum.

"There is no place in the world that suffers from divisions and wars unless America or the Zionists' fingerprints are seen there," Ahmadinejad told his audience.

He urged Muslims to rally behind Iran, saying that critics of Iran's nuclear programme were trying to prevent the country from advancing scientifically.

"Our strength and the cornerstone of the victory is in our (Muslims') unity ... we have to pay attention to the devils who want to cause divisions among us," he said.

"They want to keep science in their hands only ... they don't want the rest of the world to progress."

Solidarity

"There is no place in the world that suffers from divisions and wars unless America or the Zionists' fingerprints are seen there"

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president

Ahmadinejad arrived in Khartoum on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with Sudan, while Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president, lent his full support to Iran's nuclear programme.

The visit came a day after the International Criminal Court, ICC, in The Hague requested summonses for two Sudanese officials accused of 51 crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur including murder, torture and mass rape.

The visit also came as the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany began this week to consider a new round of sanctions on Iran for failing to halt uranium enrichment, a process which can be used for making atomic bombs.

Saudi visit

Also on Thursday, the Saudi foreign ministry announced that Ahmadinejad would visit Saudi Arabia, a staunch ally of the United States, on Saturday.

He is expected to discuss the conflicts in Iraq and Lebanon with the Saudi leadership.

The Saudis, who are known to fear that either dispute could promote sectarian strife in the Middle East, have conducted weeks of talks with the Iranians.